English reading comprehension test
5 short English stories with 20 questions between them, written for A1 and A2 learners. Read a story, answer four questions, and see immediately which ones you missed and what the answer was.
Which language are you reading in?
Stories in English
A English question, before you start
Market Morning
What does Anna drink at home before she goes out?
Show the answer
Black tea with a little sugar
Why read English this way
Beginner English comprehension material is usually written for children or for exams, and neither is what an adult learner wants. These are ordinary adult situations, a market morning, a forgotten umbrella, a new neighbour, told in short sentences. The questions include one about what a phrase means in context, which is the skill that separates reading a text from decoding it.
Want to read the English stories first?
Every story here is also in the free web reader, where you can tap any word for its meaning and listen to it read aloud. Read the English stories
Questions about the test
Who is this English test for?
Adults learning English at A1 or A2 who want to check comprehension rather than grammar. It is free, needs no account, and there is no time limit.
Is this IELTS or TOEFL practice?
No. Those papers are B2 and above and test academic reading under time pressure. This is A1 to A2 story comprehension, which is the foundation underneath them.
